The Paso del Norte Watershed Council Promoting ecosystem health and economic sustainability in the Paso del Norte Watershed

The need for an organization with a watershed-level focus was articulated in the EIS for the El Paso-Las Cruces Regional Sustainable Water Project Number of organizations in region interested in improving the Rio Grande and its riparian areas

 Need for selection and implementation of river enhancement projects associated with the Regional Sustainable Water Project  Organizational meetings for the Paso del Norte Watershed Council began in early spring 2000  A resolution recognizing the Council was approved by the Management Advisory Committee of the New Mexico-Texas Water Commission Sept. 9th, 2000  The Council had its first public meeting in February 2001.

Paso del Norte Watershed 180-mile section from Elephant Butte Reservoir in southern New Mexico to Fort Quitman, Texas180-mile section from Elephant Butte Reservoir in southern New Mexico to Fort Quitman, Texas

Membership Representatives from 30 organizations (both US and Mexico) Council members are all volunteers Council strives for a broad membership representing a variety of stake-holders and interests

Organizations City of El Paso  City of Las Cruces  Community of El Paso  El Paso Water Utilities  El Paso League of Women Voters  Environmental Defense  El Instituto Municipal de Investigación y Planeación (IMIP)  Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP)  International Boundary and Water Commission (U. S. and Mexico)  New Mexico Department of Agriculture  New Mexico State University  New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute  Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin Coalition  Southwest Environmental Center  Texas A&M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center  Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center  Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez  University of Texas at El Paso  U. S. Army - Fort Bliss Directorate of Environment  U. S. Bureau of Reclamation  U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service  World Wildlife Fund  Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

Primary Goals of the Council Support watershed planning & management Select & support restoration & enhancement projects in the watershed Facilitate communication among stakeholders and within the Council Provide education & outreach to the general public and to Council members Support efforts to monitor and improve water quality

Administration via Executive Committee Not more than twenty individualsNot more than twenty individuals Members serve for a period of at least two yearsMembers serve for a period of at least two years Membership reflective of stakeholdersMembership reflective of stakeholders

Current Council Funding Sources El Paso Water Utilities, second year of funding for Organizational Support - $49,119 El Paso Water Utilities, second year of funding for the Coordinated Database/GIS - $65,739 US Bureau of Reclamation - $20,000 Army Corps of Engineers - $85,000 Total Funding $219,858 (FY2004)

Program Coordinator Nancy N. Hanks, Ph.D. Coordinates Council activities Single point-of-contact Represents Council and Council interests at regional meetings Office at Texas A&M Experimental Station, El Paso

Current Projects of the Paso del Norte Watershed Council

Database/GIS Project Compiling database of water resource information within the watershed Database linked to multi-layered GIS map showing monitoring locations, irrigation network, gauging stations, and wells Provides access to available water quantity and quality information from variety of sources

Sample Website (TWDB)

The website will be available to: Public Irrigators Regulators Researchers

New Council website An organization formed to investigate, develop, and recommend options for watershed planning and management and to explore how water-related resources can best be balanced to benefit the Rio Grande ecosystem and the interests of all watershed stakeholders.

Paso del Norte Watershed Council PROJECTS Coordinated Database Project (pdf) Coordinated Database Project Fact Sheet (pdf) Coordinated Database system DATA

Spanish and English versions Information about the Council; its goals, purposes, projects, members, etc. Plans for educational materials about watersheds and their functions Informational Brochure

Integrated Watershed Management Plan 3 components: –On-the-ground restoration projects at Mesilla Valley Bosque Park, Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, EBID Dam project –Convene stakeholder meetings and integrate comments into mgmt plan –Develop comprehensive biological mgmt plan based on scientific findings

Contact Nancy Hanks